Farmers to get shocking news

Farmers are receiving some “shocking” news in the mail this week.
When Jim Alyea opened his assessment from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) earlier this week he did a double take.
The value on a 118-acre parcel of farmland doubled and is now valued at $505,000, according to the new MPAC assessment
A separate 55-acre of land is now assessed at $300,000, up from a previously assessed $100,00.
“It’s pretty disconcerting, and it’s a little over the top,” said Alyea, the city’s deputy mayor.
“When commodity prices were sky-rocketing farmers were tripping over one another to rent farmland. Now it’s not the case. Prices are down and the crops are poor,” added Alyea.
The bad news doesn’t end there.
City finance director David Clazie provided a bleak outlook of what could happen over the next four years.
Starting in 2017, the tax on farm properties will double over the next four years. That’s 25 per cent a year.
“We will be bringing at report back to council,” said Clazie.
Clazie did say residential taxes are likely to decrease, thanks to a shifting from tax classes to class tax.
Catherine Barr, MPAC account manager for Zone 3, told council Monday the price of farmland has increased by more than 50 per cent since 2012.
“The demand has outweighed the supply,” said Barr.
In Quinte West, Barr said the current assessed value per acre of land was $3,475 in 2012. That has jumped to $7,825 per acre in 2016.
Barr said MPAC has worked with numerous farm groups like the OFA and the National Farmer’s Union.
“There have been significant increases across Ontario. We have validated our data with third party reviews including Farm Credit Canada,” said Barr.
MPAC will be holding additional public information sessions on top of more than 20 that have been held this year.
Barr said it’s important residents double check the information on their assessment notices.
Property owners have until Feb. 8, 2017 to file for a reconsideration of the assessment.Home mail delivery
City council is sending a special delivery notice to Canada Post.
Municipal leaders are encouraging residents to fill out a parliamentary committee’s on-line survey in order to save home delivery mail survey.
The survey can be found parl.gc.ca/OGGO-e.
Politicians backed a resolution distributed by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Monday.
It’s the second resolution city council has backed in two years protesting cutbacks announced by Canada post in 2013.
A proposed plan to scrap door-to-door delivery drew the ire of federal political parties. The Liberals promised to scrap delivery service cuts and launched a review of Canada Post earlier this year.
The online survey is open to Oct, 21.
Ekuglin@postmedia.com